The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-12-22
THE PHANTAsM OF REVENUE REDUC-
TON

any talk of tax reduction that it captivates
at the mention many men, especially those
who know and think least of the science of
Government Every man is prone TO think
that he is enduring burdens that should be
taken from his shoulders, and the siren song
of the revenue reducer falls upon an ear
ready to listen to lis strains.
But il viii be the widest folly TO begin
cutting and slashing at our revenue system
just for the sake of reducing. 1t will be
very easy TO do a mischief that will cost the
people scores of times as much as the spe-
cious reduction will apparently save them.
Our revenue systematic revenue system of
any Nations n vast and complicated ma
chine, which has been built up by years of
patient effort, infinite costly experiment, and
measureless disturbance of business while
it has been developing. 1t is impossible TO
introduce a new system of taxation into the
business body polite without the most Sc
rious consequence to all concerned. Many
business men are bankrupted by the changes,
many establishments are virtually destroyed,
much skilled labor is thrown out of en-
ployment and forced to begin again at great
disadvantage in other channels; many pub
lie officials are tempted and corrupted by
the opportunities for fraud occurring while
the system is in the crude experimental
state, and all manner of evils follow.
Let us take the tax on whisky for an illus
tration. The whole world says that whisky
ought TO be taxed, and taxed heavily. Every
civilized Nation draws large portion of its
/ income from excise duties on alcoholics. Yet
the first time we tried to tax whisky n civil
war resulted, which compelled President
Washington TO assemble the armies of the
country and organize a regular campaign
against the distillers and their friends.
The next time we tried to tax whisky we
opened up long record of corruption among
trusted officials, Of unholy gains made by
men in power, of decentralization of business
men, Of scandals in courts, Congress and else
where, and Of years of guerrilla warfare in
the mountain regions of the South. When,
as a war measure, we put tax of s. gall
Ion on high wines, il utterly disorganized
not only the distilling, rectifying and bar
room business, but the vastly more inpor-
tant interests which use alcohol in great
quantities for mechanical and medicinal
purposes. The tax was SO heavy, so strange
and novel TO our peoples way of doing bust
ness, the machinery by which it was col
lected so crude and ineffective, the officers
appointed so inexperienced that at first
the Government was defrauded out Of nine
tenths of what was due it. There was
so much more breaking of the law than
obeying il that men who tried TO obey
were forced out of the business, and it
passed almost wholly into the hands of the
scoundrels who eyaded the law with more
or less success by ooncealment and triekery
OF the bribery Of officials We can all re-
member how, during the administration of
Andrew johnson, there were great whisky
rings in all the principal cities, made up OF
the worst possible elements At times, as
in New York, Brooklyn and New Orleans,
there were sanguinary riots TO prevent the
revenue officers doing their duty. Daily
came reports from the South of revenue Off
GERS murdered by mountaineers, and of mobs
of citizens preventing the arrest and punish
ment Of the murderers
The decentralization was so great that
while the tax on whisky was 81 gallon, no
dealer in liquors pretended to pay more than
$l.25 gallon, and it was constantly quoted
at that figure in the market reports of the
country.
1t took more than decade Of this wretch
ed experience TO reduce the chaos to the
present system, by which every dollar due
the Government is collected easily, cheaply
and with absolute certainty; in which not 9
cent is used TO bride officials nor debaucl
; politics, and TO which all other related in
teTests are adjusted in perfect harmony.
: DO we want TO 90 over this dreadful ex
perience again? We will surely have 10 d,
so if we break down the present system, 70
$ all-even the President and Secretary of tn
> Treasury-admit that it is only a question
j of time when we shall have need of tn
money which the tax on whisky brings III
u What is true of the whisky tax is true i
a less degree of other forms of National tax
e alton. Every one of them has cost a
! infnity Of trouble and expense to the Go,
d eminent and TO the men engaged in indu,
!, tries near or remotely affected by them [
build up 10 their present equitable ad us
= ment. To abolish them will be TO thro
ne away all the money and labor which Il.
i ! been expended for this purpose; and, sti
worse, it win be TO derange all forms of bu
T. mess which are related 10 them, and no ms
N can tell how far this arrangement wi
y extend. We only learned their relations I